Rouhani calls for closer Iran-Kazakhstan ties

TEHRAN, Aug. 05 (MNA) – President Hassan Rouhani has vowed deeper relations and closer cooperation with Kazakhstan during his second term in office as Iran’s president.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani held a meeting with Kazakh Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov on Saturday in Tehran, a few hours before his swearing-in ceremony.

During the meeting, President Rouhani called for closer cooperation with Astana in various fields such as energy, rail transportation, agriculture, tourism and goods transportation through Caspian Sea.

He also welcomed participation of Kazakh companies in Iran’s oil, gas and petrochemicals projects, and voiced Iranian companies’ readiness for mutual investment in Kazakhstan’s projects.

“It is essential that all countries, particularly regional states and those in Central Asia, including Kazakhstan, to cooperate closely in combatting terrorism,” President Rouhani said, expressing Iran’s readiness to provide Kazakhstan with experience on fighting terrorism.

Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan, for his part, stated his country’s serious pursuit of implementing the agreements reached between the two countries, stressing that Tehran-Astana relations has reached the level of strategic coordination.

He also voiced Kazakhstan’s determination to take part in projects in Iran and welcomed Iran’s participation in various projects in Kazakhstan.

Abdrakhmanov thanked the Islamic Republic for supporting Kazakhstan’s presence in the UN Security Council, adding “we share similar views with Iran that the Caspian Sea must be in service of friendship, cooperation, development and progress among the littoral states.”

He further invited President Rouhani to attend the coming summit of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), to be held in Astana on the theme of science and technology.